The Smittens - City Rock Dove

The Smittens are a 6-piece indiepop band from Burlington, Virginia that make upbeat and introspective tunes, tinged with vulnerability and optimism. Multi-layered harmonies and ba-ba-ba singalong hooks still play a large part in The Smittens’ approach to songwriting, but as each of the four main songwriters has grown, the overall perspective of the songs seems a bit moodier, and more serious.

Whilst unashamedly sweet, City Rock Dove is an album of transition, ennui and nihilism, and a honing in on personal politics and gender queerness. The album contends with the turbulent changes of modern America serving only to cement the status quo. The album opens with the coming-out anthem 'Three States', Dana’s very personal tale of change. His vocals for the song were recorded over two years, during the course of his gender transition. It’s a window into vulnerability, fear, determination and growth: there’s beauty in complexity.

Gary Olson (Ladybug Transistor) returned to mix the new album, having been instrumental in helping develop the richer textures first seen on 2016’s Love Record Breaker EP.

“The vocal arrangements sound great, the reverb 1950s guitar sound wonderful. There will be no dancing at the indie disco to this and its all the better for it… Arguably their most important album to date.” - Neon Filler

“Each and every song they write is a rampant musical pleasure – they could force a smile on the sourest face.” - Bearded Magazine

“To pull off diversity in sound is a feat in itself, but to do so with a coherent sound is pure magic. Somehow, The Smittens do just that without any sign of strain. May they continue with equal exuberance.” - The Big Takeover

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radio/ON is an independent record store based in Bristol UK, specialising in DIY, lo-fi, indie, punk, pop, avantgarde, shambolism, the-sound-of-jazz-to-come, and other interesting music, underground and overground, from around the world, with an emphasis on feminist, queer and experimental releases.